Discovered decades ago, it has become one of the most prescribed medications for type 2 diabetes due to its effectiveness, safety profile, and low cost. Now, Scientists suspect it could be the new secret to longevity.
But it is not its only use, research on the metformin has suggested a variety of possible additional uses beyond its primary application in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, such as in cancer prevention, for neurodegenerative disorders, polycystic ovary syndrome, heart disease, and for weight control.
It costs about $3,000 Chilean pesos or less, and Scientists are trying to test their hypothesis that metformin can slow aging and prevent diseases in healthy older adults.
Metformin is an oral medication used primarily to treat type 2 diabetes. It works by decreasing glucose production in the liver and improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which helps control blood sugar levels.
Its history dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was observed that people who consumed the flower of a plant known as goat’s rue showed a decrease in the symptoms of diabetes. However, it was not until the 20th century that the active compounds of this plant were identified and isolated.
Metformin was introduced to the market in Europe in the 1950s and later in the United States in the 1990s. Over the years, There have been numerous clinical studies that have confirmed the effectiveness of metformin in controlling blood sugar levels and have explored its possible benefits in other medical conditions.such as polycystic ovary syndrome and obesity.
Scientists studying the biology of aging have designed a clinical study, known as The TAME Trial, to test whether metformin can help prevent these diseases and promote longer life in healthy older adults. The six-year trial aims to enroll 3,000 people aged 65 to 79.
Research into metformin’s potential to slow aging is based on a number of promising discoveries, although it is still in an early stage and more research is needed to fully confirm these effects.
Among the findings that support the hypothesis, it has been shown that Metformin has anti-inflammatory and metabolism-modulating effects that could influence the aging process. Chronic inflammation and changes in metabolism are common characteristics of aging, and it is thought that addressing these issues could help slow the aging process.
Additionally, metformin acts primarily through the activation of an enzyme called AMPK, which plays an important role in regulating metabolism and cellular stress response. It has been suggested that the activation of AMPK by metformin could mimic the effects of exercise and caloric restriction, two interventions known to have beneficial effects on aging.
It has also been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in people with type 2 diabetes. Since cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in older people, The cardiovascular protective effects of metformin could contribute to healthier aging.
And several studies in animal models, including worms, fruit flies, and mice, have found that metformin can extend lifespan and improve overall health. These preclinical studies provide preliminary evidence of the potential beneficial effects of metformin on aging.
Although it is preliminary evidence, it has convinced Michael Cantor, an attorney, and his wife Shari Cantor, mayor of West Hartford, Connecticut, USA. They both take the medication, Michael started about a decade ago to help him control his weight and level. of sugar in the blood. Shari, for her part, started taking it during the pandemic after reading that it could help protect against serious infections.
“I tell all my friends,” says Michael Cantor. “We all want to live a little longer and, if we can, a high-quality life,” he told NPR. They are both around 60 years old and say they feel healthy and have a lot of energy.
After starting to take the medication, they noticed improvements in their digestive systems, they felt more “regular.” He and Shari say they haven’t experienced any negative side effects.
Steven Austad, a senior scientific advisor at the American Federation for Aging Research who studies the biology of aging, told NPR that a meta-analysis included data from dozens of studies and found that people taking metformin had a lower risk of various types of cancerincluding gastrointestinal, urological and blood.
Austad also pointed to a British study that found a lower risk of dementia and mild cognitive impairment among people with type 2 diabetes who take metformin. Additionally, there is research pointing to improved cardiovascular outcomes in people taking metformin, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular death.
“I don’t know if metformin increases people’s life expectancy, but the evidence that exists suggests that it very well could do so,” Austad said. However, most of the evidence is observational, and only points to an association between metformin and risk reduction, failing to demonstrate cause and effect.
It is also not known whether the benefits reported in people with diabetes can be extrapolated to healthy people. “That’s what we need to find out,” says Steve Kritchevsky, professor of gerontology at Wake Forest School of Medicine, and principal investigator of the Tame trial.
What they want to understand is how the drug can help improve energy in cells by stimulating autophagy, which is the process of cleaning up or recycling damaged parts within cells. They also want to know how it can help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which can slow biological aging.
“When there is excess oxidative stress, the cell is damaged. And that accumulation of damage is essentially what aging is,” explains Kritchevsky. It is possible that medications such as metformin can slow this process.
The goal is to get funding to carry out the study in people, but the main problem is that metformin is a generic drug, “so no pharmaceutical company can make money,” Dr. Nir Barzilai of the Faculty of Medicine told NPR. of Medicine Albert Einstein, who is leading the effort to start the trial. For now, Dr. Barzilai says the metformin clinical trial can begin when the money arrives.
